The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying indicia and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for displaying a charge level of a battery.
There have been, heretofore, numerous devices designed for displaying a charge level of a battery. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,659 describes a battery monitor which indicates the projected time until a battery reaches a lower threshold value indicative of the energy capacity of the battery. The battery monitor includes a microprocessor which iteratively reads the value of the battery voltage. The microprocessor then determines the rate of discharge of the battery and projects the future values of the battery voltage as well as the projected time at which the battery voltage attains the threshold voltage. This projected time is then displayed on a visual indicator, such as an LCD display. U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,651 discloses an apparatus having a rechargeable battery and a battery voltage detector which detects the output voltage of the battery to produce a detection signal when the output voltage falls below a predetermined threshold level. A controller stores a battery capacity value and accumulates the discharge of the battery to produce an accumulated capacity value. The controller also calculates a difference between the stored capacity value and the accumulated capacity value. Using the difference, a display displays the remaining charge value of the battery thereon. If the difference exceeds a predetermined value at a time the controller receives the detection signal, the controller changes the stored capacity value to a new capacity value. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,105,180; 5,124,627; 5,130,658; and 5,130,659 disclose other devices for displaying the charge level of a battery.
However, while the charge level of a battery which is used to power an electrical apparatus, such as a portable computer, can be adequately displayed by one of the aforementioned devices, the user of the electrical apparatus may be unaware as to whether the battery is in the process of being charged. Also, it would be desirable if the charge level of the battery was displayed in a pleasant manner which allows easy determination of such charge level.